


Trading Tears for Smiles

by Icka M Chif (mischif)



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Ensemble Cast, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Movie Spoilers, Smile
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-11
Updated: 2013-06-11
Packaged: 2017-12-14 17:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/839403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischif/pseuds/Icka%20M%20Chif
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s the tears in the kid’s eyes that let Aster know he’s gone too far.</p><p>Aka '5 times Jack smiled at Bunny, and one time he didn't.' It takes a while for Aster to learn to smile back, but never let it be said he couldn’t learn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trading Tears for Smiles

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something that's been rattling around in my brain for a while. ^__^  
> Many thanks to [Morte](http://archiveofourown.org/users/inkandpencil/pseuds/inkandpencil) for the beta and corrections!

* * *

"-People believe in _me_."

It’s the tears in the kid’s eyes that let Aster know he’s gone too far. The tears that shine, but do not fall, the stubborn set of the jaw that says Frost knows that his hopes are futile, but they’re _his_ hopes that someone will see him, believe in him one day, and he’s not letting that hope go. 

Aster hates bullies. He’s the Guardian of Hope, it’s his duty to guard Hope in all shapes and sizes, and he will not be one of those who crushes someone else’s Hopes just because he can. 

Later, he will attack Pitch for echoing Aster's comment about being invisible and not believed in. Later, Aster's heart will break at the ruination of his holiday and he will almost strike Frost before he checks the action. 

But that time is not now, this is the time for realising that maybe there is more to Jack Frost than the 'fun-times and snowball fights' Frost claims, and that Aster is in the wrong. 

And he doesn't know what to do with that knowledge.

* * *

"Bunny!" The little nuisance ducks his head and smiles at him, all large blue eyes and ingratiating smile, like he's actually glad to see Aster. "You're not still mad about that, are you?"

"Yes." Aster grits his teeth, wanting nothing more than to wipe that expression off Jack Frost's face.

But he's a professional, and he has a job to do. Which means putting aside Frost's actions of the Blizzard of '68 aside. 

At least for the moment. 

The yelp Frost makes when the yeti grab him is still pretty satisfying though.

* * *

The smile is back, the ingratiating one, the annoying one that Jack always seems to give him. “Awww.” Frost coos, safe and sound on the runner of the sleigh, not falling to his untimely demise on the ground far below. “You do care.”

Aster was about to have a heart attack, that was what. He hates flying. Hates it, hates it, hates it. He’s meant to be on the ground, or better yet, _in_ the ground, the feeling that there’s nothing under his feet is enough to make him a nervous, nauseous wreck. 

Of course it was a prank, making Aster look down at how disturbingly far above the ground they are. 

Which completely explains why neither Sandy, who is capable of retrieving a falling person from the sleigh, or North, who is driving, noticed or reacted. He has the brief image of throttling the smirk off Frost’s face.

“Oh, rack off ya show pony!” He snaps, curling back up in the relative safety of the wobbling sleigh, feeling his lunch rise in the back of his throat. 

He _knew_ he should have taken his tunnels.

* * *

"Not bad." Frost's smile is a little absent-minded as he looks out over the central chamber of the Warren, the eggs queueing up to get up to the surface. 

"Not bad yerself." Aster smiles back, then glances down at the tiny child curling up in his arms and falling asleep, all tuckered out from chasing eggs. 

He has to admit, Frost surprised him. Even if Sophie couldn't see him, Frost was still really good with the ankle-biter, better than any of the other Guardians were. The last time he'd been this close to an honest to goodness child... it'd been ages. 

Frost has that smirk on his face again, but his eyes are kind as he looks at Sophie. 

“Look, I’m sorry about the whole-” Frost looks faintly abashed, ducking his head slightly. “-You know. ’Kangaroo’ thing.”

He looks like he gets it, the whole Easter thing, why it’s so important, and for a moment Aster wonders why he hid this away from the world, from his friends. It’s his pride and joy, he likes what he does and he does a darn good job of it, dammit. 

“It’s the accent, isn’t it?” Aster smirks, pleased when Frost laughs in return. 

… They’re having a moment. It’s a little strange to be having a moment with _Jack Frost_ of all people, but it’s not bad. 

It’s on the tip of Aster’s tongue to apologise as well, which is when Tooth and North show up, cooing over the sleeping girl and the moment is gone.

* * *

Aster's heart is beating so fast he thinks that it might burst out of his chest. He's not entirely sure he heard Jamie correctly.

"He made you **believe**?" He can barely get the words out, staring up at Frost in shock and surprise. Tears sting his eyes as he feels very small and humble. "-In _me_?!" 

In Aster, who has done nothing but belittle the kid, almost hitting him out of anger, stopping only when the kid had flinched, smelling of fear and shadows. In Aster, who had blamed the loss of Easter on Frost, unable to handle the heartbreak of his holiday. Who has never been _kind_ to Frost. 

Frost ducks his head and smiles, and it's the same damn smile he's always given Aster. 

Aster's heart skips a beat, and this time, he cautiously smiles back.

* * *

Aster gets on the sleigh without complaint. He's never going to like flying, but he's flown on it at least three times since Pitch made his reappearance, used it as a platform to fight on twice, all without the world ending. One more ride isn't going to hurt. 

And he's not entirely sure he's up to the long run back to his Warren at the moment, facing the broken and shattered eggs that litter the tunnels, or to be alone at the moment. He's no longer stuck the size of a kit, but he's far from full strength, nor will he be for a while. 

He's got a handful of believers, which is better than none, but it's a far cry from the millions that he's used to, and the loss leaves him feeling hollow and aching. People, especially sprogs, need Hope to thrive, not just survive. 

Christmas will help with that, but it's going to be a long year. 

Frost... _Jack_ is the last one to board the sleigh, greeting North and Sandy with a smile as he climbs up to the back. He ducks his head and smiles at Aster, who responds with a tilt of his head and a smile of his own.

Aster feels a slight glow of accomplishment as he gets a wide happy grin back, Jack's blue eyes sparkling. He's figured it out, what it means when Jack does that. Jack's like a young pup, tripping over his too large paws in his eagerness to interact with others, to play. 

It's Jack's quiet, hopeful way of saying 'Hello! Happy to see you! Wanna have fun?'

To which the proper response is a smile back and 'Yes, Always'. 

-fin-


End file.
